Introduction to Mindfulness - Dean Amory

Exercise 4: Accepting whatever is happening
Enjoy the sensation of being able to breathe, wherever you are,
whatever you are doing, whatever you are feeling. Be aware of the
preciousness of this moment and of the simple wonder of being alive.
Enjoy this moment; come home to whatever is happening for you. It
may be that your life is in a good space. Take the time to
acknowledge and appreciate that. Or maybe you are in a really tough
place in your life at the moment. Perhaps you feel confused, tired, sad
or alone. See if you can allow whatever is there to be there, accepting
your pain as it is in this moment, rather than trying to push it away
from you. By taking time to be mindful, you create an opportunity to
bring a kindness to wherever you are hurting in your body or mind.
Notice your pain, and with care and gentleness, allow it to be there.
It’s what’s happening right now. It won’t last, nothing lasts forever.
But right now, your pain is coming from a part of you that has no
other way to communicate with you. Try being with yourself, and
letting yourself be. Notice how your thoughts try to carry you away,
possibly regretting something you did or didn’t do, or possibly trying
to frighten you with worries about what might or could happen
sometime in the future. Notice these thoughts, notice what concerns
rise up in your mind and smile. And then ever so gently, let your
thoughts be, and return your attention to your breath. Don’t fight,
don’t struggle, just let yourself be, and be kind to whatever part of
you is hurting.
It often happens in the course of our practice that some thought or
realization hits us like a bolt out of the blue and shakes us to the core.
Perhaps some problem we had been trying to block out of our
awareness, perhaps some appointment or commitment we had
forgotten.
Because you have taken time to be still, the mind has an opportunity
to remind you of something important. When this happens, note
what has been brought to your attention, thank your practice for
reminding you about this and then let it go, as you gently return your
attention to your breathing. The aim of what you are doing is simply
to be present to your breathing as best you can, and not become
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